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A Possible Birth Chart of Alexander the Great

Posted on May 6, 2013by Anthony Louis

I recently read a biography of Alexander the Great and wondered what his chart
might look like. Unfortunately, his date of birth is not known with any certainty and
many speculative natal charts exist. Almost all sources agree that Alexander was
born in 356 BC. As far as I can tell, in ancient Macedon the year began at the
summer solstice which occurred on 28 June in 356 BC, so Alexander must have been
born on or after that date. Perhaps more correctly, the year began at the first new
moon after the summer solstice, which occurred on July 14 of 356 BC.

Statue of Alexander the Great at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum

Alexander is a fascinating man with a complex personality. He was a brilliant

general and strategist who conquered much of the known world east of Greece before
his early death around the age of 33. He was a mammas boy who ended up hating
his father. His mother was an extremely ambitious and bizarre woman who
performed sexual rituals which involved her sleeping with snakes. Alexander himself
was in a committed gay relationship with Hephaistion, the love of his life, until
Hephaistion died in the autumn of 324 BC. (The other great love of his life was his
horse Bucephalus who was with Alexander from the time he was 12 years old.)
Alexander became extremely grief-stricken at his lovers death and he himself died a

year later around June 10 or 11 of 323 BC, not quite having reached the age of 33. By
the time of his death Alexander had become a ruthless tyrant, severely alcoholic and
megalomaniacal. He came to believe he was the son of Zeus and demanded to be
treated like a god.

Bust of Alexander on a gold stater of Lysimachus

According to wikipedia.com, Alexander was born on the 6th day of the ancient
Greek month of Hekatombaion, which some sources convert to 20 July 356 BC
although there is no certainty about the conversion of dates from this ancient
calendar, partly because it was a soli-lunar calender that required the periodical
insertion of intercalary months and different regions used different calendars at the
time. Conversion from these ancient calendars to the one we use today is a difficult
and often uncertain task. The Macedonians apparently began their months
according the the phases of the moon. The new moons during the summer of 356 BC
included:

July 14 first month of summer (6th day = July 19)

August 13 at 6:01 a.m. second month of summer (6th day = August 18)

September 11 third month of summer (6th day = September 16)

Alexander was born in Pella, the capital of ancient Macedon in Greece. His father,
Phillip II, was apparently not present at the birth but received news of it by
messenger. Legend has it that Phillip received several important bits of news on the
same day that he learned Alexander was born:

A son, Alexander, had been born.

His general had defeated the armies of his enemies.

His horses had won at the Olympic games. Horse races took place on day 2 of the
five-day Olympics. Day 3 was the day of the full moon (Aug. 28, 356 BC). The Olympics
were apparently scheduled during the full moon of the 8th lunar month following the
previous winter solstice.

The temple of Artemis was destroyed by arson while Artemis was away attending the
birth of Alexander.

It is possible that Alexander himself propagated this legend to enhance his

reputation as a divine entity. In any case, the birth of an heir to the throne would be
widely known in the society, which implies that the dates of these events are close to
Alexanders actual birth. So what can we deduce about his birth date?
Alexander was born around the time of the 356 BC Olympic games. The Olympics
were a 5-day event held every four years during the full moon of midsummer, which
was chosen so that the games could last into the night. As mentioned above, the year
356 BC in the Macedonian calendar began with the summer solstice on June 28th.
The summer full moons around the time of Alexanders birth occurred on the
following dates in 356 BC:

June 30

August 28 (full moon of mid-summer)

September 27

The horse races took place on day 2 of the Olympics, which would have been Aug 27,
356 BC, and a messenger had to travel from Olympia, Greece, to King Phillips
location in northern Greece where he was preparing a siege on the city of Potidea on
the peninsula of Chalcidice, some 200 or so miles from Olympia. Another messenger
had to travel from Pella (Alexanders birthplace) to King Phillip, a distance of some
70 miles. I dont know how long it took messengers to travel in ancient Greece, but it
must have been a matter of days for the news to reach the King. If we assume that it
took no more than ten days for news of the Olympic victory to reach King Philip, then
Alexander was probably born before the end of August or at the latest during the first
week of September.
If it is true that Alexander was born on the 6th day of the ancient Greek month of
Hekatombaion, then a likely date of birth is on or shortly after August 18th. If we
allow a two-week span either side of the date of the Olympics, then the range of

possible birth dates extends from August 14th to September 11th. Here is an
ephmeris for the most likely period of his birth:

Ephemeris for the date range of Alexander the Greats birth

Looking at the ephemeris for this period, we see that Saturn turned stationary
retrograde on September 9, 356 BC. Such stations mark highly significant periods in
a persons life. Saturn is a symbol of stern authority and its station can represent the
death of a parent. Alexanders father was assassinated in October of 336 BC shortly
after Alexander turned 20 years old. If Alexander were born at 8 a.m. on August
19th, then his secondary progressed Saturn would have turned stationary retrograde
around October 11, 336 BC, the approximate date of his fathers murder. Based on
this prominent secondary progression, I would deduce that Alexander was born
within 24 hours of 8 a.m. on 19 August 356 BC. (I usually allow an orb of one year
either side of the exact date of a major secondary progression.)
Thus, a likely date of birth is sometime between 8 a.m on August 18th and 8 a.m. on
August 20th. I dont know whether the Macedonians began their days at sunrise or
sunset. If sunset, then August 13th, the first day of the month, went from sunset 13
Aug to sunset 14 Aug. The sixth day of the month would then go from sunset 18 Aug
to sunset 19 Aug in the modern calendar. If the Greeks started measuring from the
earliest crescent to be seen in the sky following the darkness of the new moon, we
would need to add one day to the above dates all of which suggests that Alexander
was probably born between sunset on August 18 and sunset on August 20 (modern
calendar) because the sixth day of the Macedonian month fell within this period.

Given Alexanders ruthless character and determination to conquer the world and
declare himself a god, whatever the cost in human lives, I would opt for a Scorpio
Moon and Mercury in Leo. The Moon entered Scorpio about 6:50 a.m. on August
19th and remained there till 7:20 p.m. on August 21st. If he has a Scorpio Moon (as I
believe), then he was born between about 6:50 a.m. on August 19th and 7:20 p.m. on
August 21st of 356 BC. A sunrise chart for the middle of this range looks like this:

Speculative sunrise chart of Alexander the Great

After doing the above analysis, I came across a well researched article by
astrologerThomas Gazis, who looks at slightly different sources but comes to a
similar conclusion of an August birth. Gazis argues that Alexander was born on
August 24th with a Sagittarius moon and Mercury in Virgo. While I have great
respect for Gazis scholarship, my own sense of Alexanders personality makes me
lean toward the moon in intense and driving Scorpio and Mercury in proud and godlike Leo. With Mercury in Leo he prided his own ideas above those of everyone else.
The Moon is Scorpio is also consistent with a mother who enjoyed sleeping with and

had sexual relationships with snakes (the animal kind). Alexander was also extremely
attached to his snake-obsessed mother (see Norman Cantors book about Alexander,
p. 36).
The August 20th sunrise chart has much to commend it. His natal Leo Sun closely
trine Pluto in Aries in the 9th suggests strong leadership ability and fondness for the
conquest of foreign lands (Pluto in warlike Aries in the 9th). The warlike interests of
Alexander are also reflected in the T-square involving Mars, Jupiter and Uranus. In
addition, Mars closely sextile Venus, ruler of the MC. Saturn in the 10th has long
been associated with extreme ambition to rise to the top of the power hierarchy but
ultimately to suffer a fall. There is speculation that Alexander was murdered by his
disgruntled commanders who got fed up with his ruthless pretensions of divinity.
Alexanders great love for his horse Bucephalus (c. 355 BC June 326 BC) may be
reflected in the Sagittarius 5th house cusp.
On August 20th the Sun was in the third decan of Leo ruled by Mars, as befits a great
conqueror. Mercury lies in the same decan of Leo, which is associated by the Golden
Dawn and Aleister Crowley with the 7 of Wands, the lord of Valour. Valor, of course,
means great courage in the face of danger and such was the hallmark of Alexanders
life.

Alexanders natal Sun and Mercury are associated with the SEVEN of WANDS, the Lord of Valor (Mars ruling
the 3rd decan of Leo). The Sun was in the 3rd decan of Leo from around 3 p.m. on August 18th until about 8
p.m. on August 28th of 356 BC. Since Alexanders personality is so consistent with the decan, I would guess
he was born during the period August 18th to 28th, 356 BC. Pamela Colman Smiths depiction of a figure
wearing two different shoes may be reflected in Alexanders bisexuality. He was predominantly homosexual but
married out of obligation to produce and heir. Alexander had a foot in both camps, so to speak.

The solar return of this sunrise chart is also quite striking and marks the year 324323 BC as an extremely stressful time in his life. This is the return year in which his
lifelong lover Hephaistion died (autumn of 324 BC), sending Alexander into a

profound and lasting grief which only ended with his own death in June of 323 BC.
Below is the birthplace solar return for the year of his death. Note the predominance
of the T-square (Uranus/Pluto Neptune Sun/Moon) and the emphasis on the
12th, 4th, and 6th houses.

Birthplace solar return of sunrise chart for the year of Hephaestions and Alexanders
death.

Here is Alexanders sunrise chart with the SR superimposed around it.

Alexanders chart with superimposed solar return for the year that both he and
Hephaestion died.

Note that SR Pluto almost exactly conjoins natal Saturn in the 10th. SR Uranus
applies to conjoin natal Saturn in a little more than one degree. At the same time this
SR Uranus/Pluto conjunction is closely square his natal Sun. Pluto happens to rule
the Scorpio 4th house of final endings and the Sun, of course, is his vitality. Saturn
rules his 7th house of marriage and committed partnerships and is receiving the
stressful SR Uranus/Pluto contact. Thus the same SR aspect symbolizes both his
own death and that of his 7th house partner Hephaistion. SR Neptune in the 4th is
opposing the Uranus/Pluto/Saturn configuration in the 10th, and this opposition
forms a T-square with his natal Sun/Mercury conjunction in Leo in the 1st. Neptune
is the modern ruler of his 8th of death. Both Alexander and Hephaistion suffered
mysterious illnesses and fevers prior to their deaths. They were both heavy drinkers
and the excessive consumption of alcohol played a role in each of their deaths.
Alexander may have been poisoned by his men how Neptune in Scorpio in the 4th
of endings can you get?

Alexander died around June 10 or 11 or 323 BC. Below are the transits, progression
and directions in effect during the month of June. As you can see, the period around
June 10th is entirely consistent with Alexanders death. The SR Pluto/natal Saturn
conjunction, which dominates the solar return, became exact by transit on Monday
June 13, 323 BC, just two or three days after his death. Had he consulted an
astrologer the year before his death, Alexander would have been told that the period
around 13 June 323 BC would be a highly stressful time in which his life might be in
danger. Interestingly, the Encyclopedia Britannica gives June 13th as Alexanders
date of death. Most sources say he died on June 10th or 11th.

Transits, etc., for June 323 BC when Alexander died.

Below is the August 20th sunrise chart with the solar return and the noon chart for
the date of his death (I chose June 11) around it. Note the almost exact transiting
Uranus/Pluto conjunction crossing natal Saturn and squaring natal Sun. Transiting
Sun (ruler of his ASC) forms an exact semi-sextile to transiting Jupiter (ruler of his
8th of death) on the day of his death.

Alexander dies around June 11, 323 BC. Natal sunrise chart with solar return and
transits superimposed.

A partial solar eclipse occurred at 15 Taurus 46, on 12 May 323 BC, just a month
before his death. This eclipse activated his natal sunrise MC, opposed his natal
Moon, and squared his natal Sun. The most exact aspect of the eclipse to his natal
chart is a sesqui-square from the eclipse Sun/Moon conjunction to his natal Jupiter
(ruler of the 8th of death) within 21 of arc, so essentially exact. The eclipse also falls
in the 12th house of his solar return for the year of his death.
Sibly published a chart for Alexander in 1790 but he used a birth year of 357, by
which he meant the 357th year before Christ. Siblys chart appears to be taken from
the 1596 text by Johannes Rothmann with the title Chiromancia. See Peter
Stockingers comments below. I believe that Rothman miscounted the number of
years on the assumption that a 0 BC year existed. In the BC/AD notation system, the
years go directly from 1 BC to 1 AD, and no year 0 exists in the system.

Sibleys chart for Alexander (published in 1790).

Here is a copy of the Rothman chart which Sibly later published:

Rothmans chart for Alexander the Great.

Addendum: Geographic coordinates of Pella, Greece

Latitude: 404536 N
Longitude: 223109 E
Elevation above sea level: 80 m = 262 ft

http://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Alexander_the_Great
Born: July 22, -355 (356 BC), 11:00 PM (Julian cal.)
In: Pella (Greece)
Sun: 2407' Cancer
See the photo

Moon: 000' Scorpio

AS: 1824' Aries

MC: 943' Capricorn

Cancer, Aries, Capricorn

Dominants: Pluto, Uranus, Mercury
Houses 4, 1, 3 / Water, Earth / Cardinal
Numerology: Birthpath 6
Popularity: 74,261 clicks, 166th man, 308th celebrity

http://astro-n.page.tl/Alexander-The-Great-in-Astrology.htm

First historical evidence on Alexander's the Great

Horoscope!
Thomas Gazis

Alexander the Great is probably the biggest "Superstar" that ever existed on planet
Earth! It is a non mythical - but flesh and blood - figure that has for entire millennia been
fascinating millions of people all over the world! Still, to the disappointment of the
astrologers, never a horoscope of this brilliant personality has ever been found. And we
are very sure that astrologers DID erect Alexander's chart (or at least studied the

positions of his birth planets) because Alexander lived his whole (actually short) adult life
in Mesopotamia, in the very historical source of astrology! When Alexander the Great
invaded this area and conquered Mesopotamia astrology was already considered a
millennial tradition there, applied especially to kings! So, how comes we have never
retrieved some cuneiform tablet with Alexander's the Great horoscope on it? The fact is
that there are hundreds of thousands of cuneiform tablets in various museums etc. and
very few people able to read them! So, it will take centuries before we decipher all of
them....
Since the '90's I have been personally conducting a research on Alexander's the Great
horoscope. And I came up with a plausible date and time for Alexander's birth. I was
suggesting that he were a Leo, with a Leo Ascendant too! And then to my amazement, a
few months ago, as I was reading a Byzantine astrologer's text of the 11th century
(George Kamateros) I saw the next line (first in Greek and then in English):
" ( )
"
"The second decan of Leo was the Ascendant of Alexander's the Macedonian
nativity"!
As far as I know, this is the first ever historical evidence on Alexander's the Great
horoscope! Of course you might consider - with all good reason -such a piece of
information coming from a Byzantine astrologer born 13 whole centuries after Alexander
not very reliable. But George Kamateros has been otherwise a reliable source. And he
has to be considered a very special source too, because Byzantine literature is
somehow a continuation of the Hellenistic one. At least, Byzantines preserved the
hellenistic literature (just think of the many CCAG astrological volumes). I have
personally studied many Alexander's the Great forged horoscopes (Gadbury's and
Argoli's been the most famous). But these horoscopes apart from the fact that they smell
"forgery" they were created by people disconnected from the hellenistic civilization.
Kamateros on the other hand had a direct acces to illustrious hellenistic astrologers such
as Ptolemy, Hephaestion, Maximus and Rhetorius (the last two been more Byzantine
than hellenistic astrologers). Thus, I consider reliable this Kamateros' precious piece of
information on Alexander's Ascendant.
Maybe the day is not very far away when we will stumble upon the original horoscope
(maybe of a clay tablet form) of this unique, ultra-brilliant human being!

THE ASTROLOGICAL CHART OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

(by Thomas Gazis)
What is it that makes Alexander the Great such a unique figure in world history? Why out
of so many legendary conquerors he apparently holds the most prestigious place? The
obvious answer would be: because he accomplished marvelous deeds, such as no other
human being has ever accomplished! At age 20 he became king of Macedonia1. Under his
command he led an army of 30.000 men to the ends of the then known world, into exotic

and dangerous lands conquering every single one of them! Side by side with his soldiers,
he fought more than one hundred battles almost never losing one! He created an empire
40 times bigger than the one he inherited - actually he formed the greatest empire ever
formed by a single individual! And finally he died at the zenith of his glory not having
completed the 33rd year of his life.
But apart his marvelous deeds, there is something more to Alexander. Some very unusual
charisma seems to ever emanate out of this unique personality, a charisma which we can
still feel today, 2300 years after! Actually, there are so many heroic and - at the same time
- tragic archetypes enacted in Alexanders saga that we tend to transform this man into a
mythical figure, into a sort of Achilles! But while Achilles is probably no more than a
cartoon Alexander has been a real person, a flesh and blood one like us! I think that
Alexander has been somehow transmuted in our collective unconscious into some kind of
martyr, into a martyr of the human race! He was young, handsome, strong, charismatic
and audacious, but still he was a mortal like us. Thus, he became a representative of our
race who surpassed the threshold of human dimensions and almost reached divine
domains, a man who dared to confront himself with the divine and perhaps for this reason
perished.
For all of us dealing with astrology it would be obvious to ask whether the astrological
chart of Alexander the Great has been preserved. Could there be, for example, any
archaeological finds in Macedonia, in the fatherland of Alexander the Great, related to his
horoscope? The fact is that neither in Macedonia (see note 1) nor in any other part of
Greece have elements of that period (even remotely alluding to astrology) ever been
found. Personally, I have meticulously observed hundreds and hundreds of ancient statues,
urns, stelae, coins etc. - while in the same time I have read or browsed the works of
hundreds of classical philosophers, dramatists, comedians etc. - and in none of them have
I encountered astrological symbols or even a single word explicitly related to astrology! I
am convinced that until the end of the fourth century B.C.E. astrology was not rife in
Classical Greece (although it was more so in Archaic Greece, as I have suggested in
another article). This astrology vacuum is rather inexplicable, because Greece lies rather
close to the Middle East and to Mesopotamia, to the cradle of western astrology that is!
However, all this changed by the end of the fourth century B.C.E. due to an extraordinary
event, an event that turned out to be very significant in the history of astrology: the
expedition, primarily martial but to some extent also cultural, of Alexander the Great into
Asia and particularly into Mesopotamia, the cradle of astrology. I should emphasize here
that Alexander, being the child of a priestess and the spiritual child of the philosopher
Aristotle, was not interested just in conquering nations but also in learning their culture.
In point of fact, his army comprised many Greek scientists (geographers, historians,
botanists, astronomers, philosophers etc.). His fervent wish was to explore, conquer and
then UNITE all the people, all the countries, all the known then world! Alexander was
intelligent enough to know that if he were to succeed in his cause he had to demonstrate
tolerance towards the religion and the culture of each country and allow the free flow of
ideas in his empire.
So, by the time Alexanders army entered victoriously into the city of Babylon, astrology
(in its non - horoscopic form) had reached full growth in Mesopotamia. The Greeks took an
immediate interest in astrology. They somehow became heirs of the vast astrological
notions accumulated throughout the centuries between the two great rivers. With their
philosophical and inventive minds they revised those notions, they applied mathematical

and geometrical principles to them and finally transformed the Mesopotamian astrology
into the horoscopic astrology we know today. And it all started with Alexander the Great!
Of course the promotion of astrology was not his main priority when he campaigned
against the Persians in the Middle East. However, as far as we know astrology was not
contrary to his beliefs.
Alexander was initiated in various mysteries so he probably had some knowledge of
astrology. And as he was mostly following the local traditions he must have had astrologers
in his court (the Persian kings before him habitually kept royal astrologers in the palace).
Actually, we have some very tangible testimonies on Alexanders belief in astrology,
coming out not just from one but from three different sources (Plutarch, Arrian and
Diodorus Siculus). Diodorus is the most descriptive of all:
When Alexander was about to enter Babylon, the so called Chaldeans came to meet him.
These Chaldeans gained much fame and glory through astrology, as they could predict - by
the means of their age long observation of the stars - the future events! And the Chaldeans
predicted the death of the king in Babylon (2). Now, as all historians account, Alexander
took very seriously into consideration this prediction, as if he really believed in astrology!
Thus, I am fairly sure that he kept astrologers in his court, astrologers which cast the
chart of Alexander and consequently passed on his planetary positions to other
astrologers too. The astrological identity of this supreme blonde conqueror that came
from the west must have been a matter of prime interest among the Babylonian - Persian
astrologers of the time. However, to date no Alexanders Perso- Babylonian chart has
been found.

The fake Alexanders charts and the quest for his true birth date
Not having in our disposition a "first hand" chart of Alexander the Great we must
necessarily turn our attention to any available "second hand" ones. Two such alleged
Alexanders charts were published in the 17th century. The first one was cast in 1652 by
the Italian Andrea Argolo (the so-called "little Ptolemy"). On it we can read: "Genitura
Alexandri Magni, 12 Augusti 355 Anno Christum, 16:40 P.M.". From the very first moment I
laid my eyes on this chart I fervently sought to verify the planetary positions displayed on
it. As soon as I found the means to do so, I noticed that the planetary positions in this
chart are generally correct (there is only a deviation in the zodiac positions of the Moon
and Mercury). This however cannot be the genuine chart of Alexander, because we are
quite sure that he was born in 356 B.C.E. and not in 355 B.C.E.
The second alleged Alexanders chart is a horoscope included in Gadbury's "Collection of
divers choice Nativities" published in 1662. On it we can read: "Alexander Magnus, born
357 years ante Christu, July 1, 9h. 26 m. P.M.". I have calculated the planetary positions
for this date and concluded that, although the positions are surprisingly accurate, this
chart is a fake one too! Alexander obviously was not born in 357 B.C.E. Given the fact that
both these charts are fake we still wonder how did the astrologers of the 17th century
manage to calculate with such a precision a nativity so remote in the past!
So, unfortunately, there are no historical finds or documents that could shed some light on
the astrological identity of Alexander the Great. Our last option then would be to get to
know his date of birth and consequently cast his horoscope based on it. Many ancient
historians have written on Alexander but today we have in our hands the works of five of
them: those of Plutarch, Arrian, Diodorus Siculus, Quintus Curtius and Justine, all posterior

to Alexander. Among these five historians only Plutarch mentions Alexander's date of birth.
He says: "Alexander was born on the sixth of the month which by the Athenians is called
Hecatombaion and by the Macedonians Loos " (3). This is our major historical reference on
Alexander's date of birth. However, this reference does not automatically solve our
problem. First of all, Plutarch lived three whole centuries after Alexander. How can we be
sure that he knew the true date of birth of Alexander? And then, even if we were sure of
the correctness of the date provided by Plutarch we would still have difficulties in
converting this Macedonian date (6 of Los of 356 B.C.E.) into the corresponding date of
our modern calendar! They were simply inserting - every now and then - one or more extra
months, in order to keep their calendar in pace with the seasons. These rather arbitrary
intercalary months constitute today one of our major problems, when we try to convert
an ancient date into a modern one. And to make things even worse, every Greek city-state
followed its own calendar, which usually was not synchronized to the other city-states
calendars. Maybe you understand now why the date provided by Plutarch is not
immediately providing us a modern date.
To go back to our initial skepticism, how reliable such a date can be? Personally, I believe
it is the correct one. Plutarch, as one can deduce from his works, was a very serious and
cultivated historian. The dates provided by him are generally accurate! Plutarch was a
Greek, so he had an easy access to all "first hand" writings preserved at his epoch of the
historians and the officers of Alexander the Great. He precisely quotes, for example, dates
and events from the very royal annals of Alexander, meaning that his sources indeed
were first hand! Not to mention the wondrous libraries - like the Alexandrian one - he
had in his disposition; In addition, we have another ancient source that somehow confirms
the date provided by Plutarch. It comes from the roman writer Claudius Aelianus (Aelian)
who lived between the 2nd and the 3rd century C.E. Aelian writes in his "Varia Historia":
"...The sixth of the month Thargelion is considered a very lucky date for the Greeks... on
that date they won many battles... Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip was born
on that day too" (4). Actually, Aelian does not specify whether the expression on the sixth
day implies the 6th of the month Thargelion or generally the 6th day of some - not
mentioned here - month. I think he means the latter because we are fairly sure that
Alexander was not born in the month Thargelion. Aelian lived after Plutarch but
apparently he did not copy him - in such a case he would also have written that Alexander
was born on the sixth of Hecatombaion. So, we have two ancient historians emphasizing
the 6th of a certain month as the birthday of Alexander (and this month could be no other
than Hekatomabaion - corresponding to the Macedonian month Los).
Still we have to ask ourselves another question: was the date of birth an important date to
ancient Greeks? Did the Greeks party on their birthday? To answer, it would suffice to
quote a line from the philosophers Epicurus will (Epicurus was contemporary to
Alexander): and I leave you the indispensable money so that you can celebrate each
year my birthday, on the ninth of the month Gamelion (5). Many other sources confirm
that the ancient Greeks were celebrating their birthday just as we do today! This
corroborates my hypothesis that the general public knew Alexanders birthday, let alone
the royal historians who wrote his memoirs. For all these reasons I consider the date
provided by Plutarch as a reliable one!
Plutarch does something more than simply mentioning the (Macedonian coined) birthday of
Alexander. He additionally informs us that Alexander was born in a Macedonian month
(Los) that corresponds to the Attic (Athenian) month of Hecatombaion. This is an
important piece of information because - as we have a relatively extensive bibliography on

the Attic calendar - we know that Hecatombaion corresponds roughly to the annual mid
July - mid August period. We say roughly because - due to the aforementioned
intercalary month additions - the Macedonian month of Loos could slip so much as to
correspond to our month of October! On the other hand, we are fairly sure that Los could
not correspond to a month prior to our July (the Macedonian calendar was soli-lunar, thus
short in respect to ours, so we have to add a certain amount of days in order to equate
a Macedonian date into a contemporaneous one. Taking in consideration all these facts,
we determine a relatively narrow time span for Alexanders birthday. He should have been
born between July and October of 356 B.C.E. His Sun should be then in one of the
following zodiacal signs: Cancer, Leo, Libra or Scorpio!
The next step is to confirm this time-span and hopefully shorten it. The historian Arrian
will help us in this direction. Quoting Aristobulus, one of Alexander's officers and
historians, Arrian says that Alexander lived 32 years and 8 months - and these 8 months
completed (6). The fact is that we know with sufficient precision Alexander's date of
death (which has been preserved apart from the Greek royal annals in various Babylonian,
Egyptian etc. documents). According to Plutarch Alexander died on the last day of the
Macedonian month Daisios, in 323 B.C.E. (7)Most modern chronologists and
historians (8) suggest that the date of Alexander's death should correspond either to the
10th or the 13th of June. So if by that day of 323 B.C.E. Alexander had lived 32 years and
8 months completed then he should have been born sometime between the 7th of
September and the 9th of October 356 B.C.E., in a period that absolutely fits the time
span we predetermined.
Additionally, there is another historical citation that equates the Macedonian month of
Loos to our September / October annual period. It comes from the orator Demosthenes. In
one of his books called "On the Crown" he quotes a letter written in 339 B.C.E. by the
Macedonian King Philip to the Peloponnesians. In this letter, King Philip is asking the
Peloponnesian delegates to meet him sometime "in the month of Los, which the
Athenians call Boedromion and the Corinthians Panemos" (9). Since Boedromion was the
3rd month of the Athenian calendar (that usually begun at summer solstice), this month
would roughly correspond to our September / October annual period. We are given two
precious clues here: 1) that the Macedonian month Los did not always correspond to the
Athenian month of Hecatombaion. 2) That the aforementioned calendar equation is
opening us a wormhole to the past, as it suddenly brings us so close to Alexanders birth
date! The year 339 B.C.E. is just 17 years away from Alexanders birth date! And since the
Macedonian months were usually slipping ahead - in respect to our modern calendar, as the
years were passing - it would be obvious to think that Alexander was most probably born in
a period prior to the September / October one! But not too far away though, because in
just 17 years not too many missing days would have been accumulated so as to
transfer Alexanders birth date i.e. in July, let alone in June! So, this evidence
contradicts the widespread scenario of Alexander being born in July and consequently him
being a Cancer. Nor do the Virgo and Libra scenarios look more plausible to me! In fact,
three other evidences coming from Plutarch, Diodorus Siculus and from an early byzantine
chronicle suggest a late summer birth!
Plutarch states that Philip, Alexander's father, received simultaneously - while conducting
a military campaign in northern Greece - three pleasant news items: 1) that one of his
generals won a victory, 2) that one of his horses won a race in the Olympic Games, and 3)
that Alexander was born (10). We know that the Olympic Games were taking place in the
second half of summer, most probably in August. Some eminent scholars like the British

historian George Thomson get more specific, suggesting that the Olympic games were
taking place either in August - on the 9th or on the 22nd of the month - or in September on the 6th of the month, depending on the year (11). Now, it would normally take a few
days for a messenger to bring to Philip - either by ship or by horse - the news of his horse's
win. But the news of his horse's win and Alexander's birth reached Philip simultaneously, so
Alexander could not have been born in late September, let alone in October!

The late summer birth scenario gains momentum

The second evidence comes from the fact that Alexander became king directly after his
fathers assassination, when according to Plutarch he had just completed his twentieth
year of life (12). Philip was assassinated during a ceremony in an open theater, in early
morning. Diodorus Siculus describes the relevant scene (13). From his description, one can
understand that the day of Philip's assassination was a rather hot one. It could be a day in
late summer or at most in early September. Remember we are in northern Greece, in a
city that lies almost at the latitude of New York City. The mornings of late September and
October are getting chilly there and are not ideal for a ceremony in an open theater. So,
Philip might have been assassinated in late August or in early September. Immediately
after, the Macedonian people and the army proclaimed Alexander their new king.
According to prominent German chronologist Julius Beloch, Alexander was proclaimed king
in September 336 BCE (14). So, if he had already completed his twentieth year (as
Plutarch states), then he should have been born either in the first days of September or
(most probably) in August.
Finally, an important piece of evidence has been preserved in an early Byzantine chronicle
known as the Chronicon Paschale. As this chronicle testifies, the Macedonian calendar
was still in use in the 4th century C.E. in Constantinople! In fact, in one of its pages we
read: and in the same year (367 C.E.) Gratianus Augustus was proclaimed emperor in
France, in the month of Loos, nine days before the Calends of September (15)! But as
the Roman Calends correspond to the first day of the month, the Calends of September
correspond to the 1st of September. If we now subtract nine days out of this date we come
to the 23rd of August (give 2 - 3 days maximum to convert this date to a contemporaneous
one, as the Roman calendar was not that much out of phase back then). So, the
Paschale chronicle turns to be very valuable because it is the first official source we
ever encountered that equates the Macedonian month of Los to our modern month of
August!
Taking in consideration all the aforementioned evidence and methodically synthesizing it,
we would say that the second half of August is the period that better corresponds to the
prerequisites we have set forth. This period lies in the middle between the two extreme
cases of an Alexanders birth in July (as some historians and astrologers claim) or in
September/October (as i.e. Philips letter suggests). To turn back to Aristobulus, I think
that he was misled by the Macedonian calendar, which was full of adjustments (both Philip
and Alexander i.e. were changing at will the Macedonian calendar in order to fit their
often whimscal plans (16) and of intercalary months, and thus omitted a month in stating
Alexander's span of life. Instead of saying that by his death date his age was 32 years and 8
months completed he should have said 32 years and 9 months completed (meaning that
Alexanders death came when he was in the tenth month after his 32nd birthday).
Another fact that could prove valuable to us is that the calendar of the ancient
Macedonians was a soli-lunar one. Each of their months was usually regulated according to

the Moon's phases, thus the first date of every month should ideally coincide with the New
Moon or at least with the first appearance of a crescent Moon in the sky. They always kept
this in mind, particularly when they were adjusting their calendar (to which they were so
fond that they maintained it even after the Romans imposed them the Julian calendar!)
The New Moon of August 356 B.C.E. fell on the 13th. So, under ideal conditions, the 6th of
the Macedonian month Los of 356 BC should correspond to the 18th of August of that year
(6 days ahead of the 13th of August, the first one being the 13th). On the 18th of August
356 BCE (17) the Sun was in Leo and the Moon was transiting through Libra and
Scorpio (18)! No doubt here about the Leo Sun! If one meticulously studies Alexanders
biography he will realize that this extraordinary man exhibited every single trait of this
regal, dominating, heroic sign! He even maintained caged lions in his palace, evidence
that might seem slim to some but many times the details say much about a man (the Virgo
Roman emperor Honorius kept in his palace pet poultry, instead)!
We drifted in the endless corridors of time and by carefully following the signs the various
sources were providing us we came close to our destination. We stand in the right corridor
now, but we dont know which one out of the several doors around us - we should open!
The year is right (356 B.C.E.), the season is right (late summer, as the evidence suggests)
and the month seems to be right (August)! But which date of August is the right one? Is it
the 18th of August? It would be, under ideal conditions. But these conditions rarely
occurred in the soli-lunar Macedonian calendar! One major clue is that this calendar was
mostly short in respect to our modern one. So, most probably, we have to add a certain
number of days - to the given date 18th of August - in order to get the right Alexanders
birth date. How many days, then? More or less 11 days, under ideal conditions. But as we
explained, these ideal periods were the exception to the rule. So, we might be here just
a step away from our destination but without further historical or calendric evidence in
our disposition we actually stand on a dead end! And the only alternative we are left with
is to apply some kind of extrapolation.
If we persist on the fact that Alexander should be a Leo and not a Virgo, then we are
restraining our time span into a frame of just eleven days - from 18 to 28 August 356
B.C.E. - when the Sun was in Leo! But then, his Moon should be in one of the following five
signs: Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius. Things got a lot simpler now! If
we pick up the right Moon then we will indirectly determine Alexanders most probable
birth date!
I personally think that we have an easy pick here. Having thoroughly studied Alexanders
life, knowing his character, I opted right away for the Sagittarius Moon! Such a Moon is
in perfect accordance to Alexanders exuberant and over - optimistic soul, to his fervid
wish to go beyond the horizons, to step onto new continents, to seek the very ends of the
world! It also says much about Alexander being spiritually raised by a philosopher like
Aristotle! It explains his profound interest in literature (unusual for a military man), his
unshaken belief in God, his mother Olympias that was a priestess and his three wives that
were all foreigners. It even explains his legendary affection to his horse, Bucefalo! Of
course, I know that strong Jupiterian - or Ninth House - emphasis might produce similar
effects! But just to a lesser extent! Only the pure, archetypal energy of a Moon in the sign
of Sagittarius would produce a restless soul like Alexanders! And if we assume that his
Moon is in the sign of Sagittarius then we can very tightly determine his date of birth!
In August 356 B.C.E. the Moon was transiting in the sign of Sagittarius during the following
time frame: between the 19:24 hours of the 21st and the 6:31 hours of the 24th day of the

month! (19) So, theoretically Alexander should have been born sometime then. Still, a
new burning question arises: when exactly? Its not easy to say, as we are here in a totally
uncharted territory without any kind of landmarks in our disposition. By necessity, another
enlightening lead will stem again out of Alexanders character. He possessed an unusually
explosive character! His outbursts were proverbial (in one of them he even speared to
death his close friend Cletus). But such violent outbursts do not exactly suit a classy Leo
having his Moon in the civilized, benevolent sign of Sagittarius. And since the Moon
astrologically represents the human soul, there should be some explosive planetary
configuration related to his Moon! Actually, there might be one! On the 24th of August 356
B.C.E. the Moon - in the last degrees of Sagittarius - on the one hand forms a square
aspect to natal Jupiter and on the other approaches the already highly charged axis of the
Mars - Uranus opposition, thus forming an unusually explosive T-Square configuration!
Normally, such an electrified Moon would produce in man very particularly violent
reactions, especially when women figures are involved, trying i.e. to restrain him (and
definitely Olympias - his manipulative mother - was top of the list here. Alexander loved
her all right but often had a hell of a row with - thus he deliberately kept her away). To
conclude, neither on the 21st, nor on the 22nd or the 23rd of August 356 B.C.E. some
other meaningful lunar configuration is formed!
The Moon in Sagittarius represents very well the exuberant soul of Alexander the Great,
his intercontinental expeditions, his interest in literature, his profound belief in God, his
mother Olympias that was a priestess and his three wives that were all foreigners. Back
then, the Moon was in Sagittarius from 20:00 of the 21st of August till 07:00 of the 24th of
August. I have opted for the 24th of August because only then the Moon, though remaining
in Sagittarius, approached the axis of the Mars-Uranus opposition, a highly explosive axis
that may have much to do with Alexander's explosive nature.
But if his date of birth is the 24th of August and his Moon is in Sagittarius then we have
indirectly established a time span for his birth time, as well: he should have been born
between 00:00 and 07:00 hours. In reality we have no direct testimony on Alexander's time
of birth. Pseudo - Kallisthenes who wrote a somewhat romantic biography of Alexander in
the 3rd century AD claims that he was born at sunrise and that he died at sunset. A
Byzantine astrologer (George Kamateros) claims that Leo was the Ascendant in Alexanders
horoscope. Actually, a Leo Ascendant would fit him much more than a Gemini or a Cancer
one. In addition, we would prefer his Sun to be close to his Ascendant, in his First House,
and this could happen only if he was born around 05:00 - 05:30 A.M. (19). In such a case
he would have the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Neptune placed in his First House (a quite rare
delineation that could explain the extraordinary charisma of this young man, the
magnetism that he was radiating around him and that made his soldiers follow him to the
ends of the then known world as if they were being hypnotized). His natal Saturn in Taurus
would be in his Tenth House, close to his MC, while the ruler of his Tenth House would be
in his First House. These planetary positions fully agree both with the fact that at very
young age Alexander accepted responsibility and with the fact of his enormous and
everlasting fame.

We finally arrived at our destination! By meticulously studying evidence upon evidence, by

inductively including and excluding possibilities we determined a date that seems to be
the most plausible Alexanders the Great birth date: the 24th of August 356 B.C.E.17 The
Sun was then in Leo, in conjunction to Mercury. The Moon was in the last degrees of
Sagittarius. Mercury and Venus (in Virgo) were forming a conjunction and were supported
by a Mars Sextile and a Uranus Trine. Mars was in Cancer, in square to Jupiter in Libra and
in a tight opposition to both Uranus in Capricorn and to the Moon in Sagittarius (as we
have already seen)! Saturn was in Taurus in square to his Sun (the difficult relation he had
with his father?).

Rectifying the chart

This hypothetical chart of Alexander the Great corresponds satisfactorily - as we will see to the known traits of his character. His First House emphasis, for example, depicts very
well his impulsiveness, his bellicose spirit and his wish to be the first of the first in every
situation. Then, his Venus in Virgo responds well to his legendary sobriety in matters
regarding food and sensual pleasures. But the final test would consist in verifying this
chart by applying critical Transits and Secondary Progressions to it, for the major events in
Alexander's life.
Let's start with a particularly significant event: his death. The most plausible date of his
death is the 11th of June 323 B.C.E. (some scholars opt for the 10th). The planetary
Transits for this date are highly significant: transiting Pluto and Uranus - which are partile
conjunct at 21 degrees of Taurus - form a square aspect to Alexander's hypothetical natal
Sun, at 25 degrees of Leo! Transiting Neptune at 28 degrees of Scorpio also forms a square
aspect to his natal Sun (an aspect that becomes even more significant if we consider
Neptune as the ruler of the Alexander's Eighth house).

Transiting Saturn at 29 degrees of Gemini forms a partile opposition to his natal Moon, a
conjunction to his natal Mars and a square to his natal Jupiter. Transiting Jupiter at 150 of
Cancer forms a square aspect to his natal Pluto. Transiting Mars in his natal First House
forms a conjunction to his Venus (the ruler of his natal Tenth House) and to his Neptune.
Transiting Venus forms a square aspect to his Nodal Axis. Transiting Mercury forms a
conjunction to his Mars and a partile opposition to his Uranus. Transiting Sun - at 16
degrees of Gemini on that fatal day - squares Alexander's natal Neptune (just one among
many aspects that allude to a probable poisoning). Finally, the transiting Moon is forming a
square aspect to his natal Pluto (while it is about to get in his Twelfth House. The response
of this chart to the Transits set for the date of Alexanders death is very impressive!
But equally significant are the Progressions set for that same date: his progressed Moon is
forming an opposition to his natal Neptune (ruler of his Eighth House. Plus, his Progressed
Moon would be just entering then in his 8th natal House, if Alexander were born a little
earlier). His progressed Sun forms a square aspect to his natal Moon (ruler of his Twelfth
House). His progressed Mercury and Venus form an opposition to his natal Pluto and finally
his progressed Mars forms a square to his natal Pluto!
Another important event that we should test here is the assassination of Alexander's
father, Philip, towards the beginning of September 336 B.C.E.
Uranus was then transiting in the Alexander's natal Eighth House, forming a perfect square
to his natal Moon (a sudden and rather odd death that was to change his family status?).
His natal Mars was conjoined by transiting Jupiter and opposed by transiting Saturn. This
bipolar influence of Jupiter and Saturn on his natal Mars indicates both the responsibilities
that suddenly fell on Alexanders shoulders right after his fathers death and his burning
desire to become a leader, to take initiatives, to act.
A similar bipolar configuration results from the Progressions set for this event: Alexanders
progressed Sun conjuncts his natal Neptune (ruler of his natal Eighth House). And then, his
progressed Moon partile conjuncts his natal Jupiter! This aspect literally takes us out of
surprise! How comes such a joyful configuration occurs in such an ominous day? We could
never understand it unless we first thoroughly study the life of Alexander. He had a
terrible relation to his allegedly tyrannical and drunkard father! He was not even
considering Philip to be his father (his mother had confessed him that he was not)! In
addition, Philip had in those days just married another (very young) woman, whose
offspring would someday claim the Macedonian throne, at Alexanders expense! All these
facts had utterly embittered Alexander and his mother Olympias. No wonder, then, that
they - in a certain sense - rejoiced and felt free when Philip was assassinated! Let alone
that Alexander was proclaimed on that day the new king of Macedonia! Of course it is not
a good thing to rejoice on your fathers (or husbands) death, but it is human and it
happens sometimes (probably more often than we think)! And in the end, this is the magic
of astrology! It enables us to get into the private lives, into the souls of people that
actually perished so many centuries ago!
To test another event now, lets try a famous Alexanders illness. In the middle of his
campaign to Persia, on a hot summer day of 333 B.C.E. (probably mid August) Alexander
took a refreshing bath in the frozen waters of the river Kydnos (in contemporary Turkey).
Immediately afterwards he felt sickly and stayed in bed for several days. Transiting Saturn
(in his Sixth House) was then forming an opposition to his natal Sun, while transiting Sun
and Mars were in his natal Twelfth House.

By the beginning of 325 B.C.E. Alexander had reached the most remote part of his
expedition (India), but he wanted to go even further (transiting Jupiter was in his natal
Ninth House). His soldiers refused to follow him. In January of that year - during a bloody
battle against the people of Malion (or Mallon, a region corresponding probably to modern
day Massaga, in northern-east Pakistan) - Alexander behaved very imprudently and was
seriously wounded in his chest by an arrow. He barely escaped death and remained on a
stretcher for several weeks.
Transiting Neptune (ruler of his Eighth House) was then at 25 degrees of Scorpio, forming a
perfect square to his natal Sun while transiting Saturn at 23 degrees of Taurus was also
forming a square to his natal Sun (and a conjunction to his natal position)! Transiting Pluto
stands on his Midheaven (a rumor that Alexander died had spread among his soldiers on
this particular period). His progressed Moon and Venus are in his Sixth House. Additionally,
Mars was transiting his natal Twelfth House and most likely the Sun was in his Sixth House!
As the last event to rectify here we shall take the legendary collective marriages
celebrated at Susa (Shush) in Persia between (approx.) ten thousand Greek soldiers and
that many Asian women (Alexander himself got married on that occasion, for the third
time)! These marriages were actually an Alexander's idea and took place around the first
days of April 324 B.C.E.
By applying Secondary Progressions we see that the Alexanders progressed Moon (forming
an opposition to his Sun) has just entered his Seventh House! According to Dane Rudhyar, a
major consciousness shift occurs in the individual when his progressed Luminaries (Sun
Moon) cross the border of the personal versus the collective semi-cycle of the horoscope
(in an horoscope, the cusp of the Seventh House marks the area where the semi-cycle of
subjective consciousness ends and simultaneously the area where the semi-cycle of
collective consciousness starts)! How effectively this progressed Moon depicts Alexander's
inner state of mind back then. From his previous strongly individualistic consciousness he
was just passing then into a brand new collective consciousness and this interior
metamorphosis was externally manifested both by his personal marriage and by the
collective marriages he then celebrated at Susa.
Among his Transits, it is interesting to note that Mercury is in his Seventh House and Venus
in his Eighth House, in opposition to his natal Neptune. Additionally, transiting Jupiter and
Saturn - in conjunction between them - form a square aspect to his natal Venus. This last
aspect might also be considered as producing a major shift in Alexander's way of seeing
the others. Finally, transiting Uranus ruler of his natal Seventh House conjuncts his MC! In
any case, this astrological delineation very depicts remarkably well those unusual
collective marriages of convenience, as it were. It was upon the descendants of these
10.000 Greek - Asian couples that Alexander was planning to structure the future shape of
his empire, an empire that he dreamt of as global, homogeneous, prosperous and
everlasting!

NOTES
1. We have to clarify something here: A recently founded (former Yugoslavian) state has
been self - baptized Macedonia. This (Slavonic-Bulgarian speaking) state has nothing to
do with ancient Macedonia, a geographical area in northern Greece inhabited by the
Macedonians, a people whose culture and language was (and still is) Greek.

2. Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library, book XVII, 112.1

3. Plutarch : Alexander, III-5.
4. Claudius Aelianus : Varia Historia,B,25,28-34.
5. Epicurus, The Will, 18
6. Arrian : History of Alexander, VII-28.
7. Plutarch: Alexander, LXXV, 6
8. Beloch, Samuel, Hamilton etc.
9. Demosthenes: De Corona,157.
10. Plutarch: Alexander, III-8.
11. George Thomson Ancient Greek Society ,V,5.
12. Plutarch : Alexander, XI-1.
13. Diodorus Siculus, XVI, 92-2.
14.Julius Beloch, Griechische Geschichte, III,2, 59-60.
15. Apostolos Karpozilos Byzantinoi Istorikoi kai Chronografoi, (Kanaki), A, p.525 .
16. Philip and Alexander arbitrary added days in the Macedonian calendar so that it
would fit their plans, their soothsayers predictions etc.
17. All mentioned dates are Old Style.
18. All astronomical and astrological calculations effectuated by the Solar Fire
Deluxe program.
19. Hours are in E.E.T.
http://science-astrology.blogspot.sg/2010/09/astrological-chart-of-alexandergreat.html

The astrological chart of Alexander the Great

What is it that makes Alexander the Great such a unique figure in world history? Why out of
so many legendary conquerors he apparently holds the most prestigious place? The obvious
answer would be: because he accomplished marvelous deeds, such as no other human
being has ever accomplished! At age 20 he became king of Macedonia. Under his command
he led an army of 30.000 men to the ends of the then known world, into exotic and
dangerous lands conquering every single one of them! Side by side with his soldiers, he
fought more than one hundred battles almost never losing one! He created an empire 40
times bigger than the one he inherited - actually he formed the greatest empire ever formed

by a single individual! And finally he died at the zenith of his glory not having completed the
33rd year of his life.
But apart his marvelous deeds, there is something more to Alexander. Some very unusual
charisma seems to ever emanate out of this unique personality, a charisma which we can
still feel today, 2300 years after! Actually, there are so many heroic and - at the same time tragic archetypes enacted in Alexanders saga that we tend to transform this man into a
mythical figure, into a sort of Achilles! But while Achilles is probably no more than a fictitious
character, a cartoon Alexander has been a real, flesh and blood person like us! I think that
Alexander has been somehow transmuted in our collective unconscious into some kind of
martyr, into a martyr of the human race! He was young, handsome, strong, charismatic and
audacious, but still he was a mortal like us. Thus, he became a representative of our race
who surpassed the threshold of human dimensions and almost reached divine domains, a
man who dared to confront himself with the divine and perhaps for this reason perished.
For all of us dealing with astrology it would be obvious to ask whether the astrological chart
of Alexander the Great has been preserved. Could there be, for example, any archaeological
finds in Macedonia, in the fatherland of Alexander the Great, related to his horoscope? The
fact is that neither in Macedonia nor in any other part of Greece have elements of that period
(even remotely alluding to astrology) ever been found. Personally, I have meticulously
observed hundreds and hundreds of ancient statues, urns, stelae, coins etc. - while in the
same time I have read or browsed the works of hundreds of classical philosophers,
dramatists, comedians etc. - and in none of them have I encountered astrological symbols or
even a single word explicitly related to astrology! I am convinced that until the end of the
fourth century B.C.E. astrology was not rife in Classical Greece (although it was more so in
Archaic Greece, as I have suggested in another article). This astrology vacuum is rather
inexplicable, because Greece lies rather close to the Middle East and to Mesopotamia, to
the cradle of western astrology that is!

However, all this changed by the end of the fourth century B.C.E. due to an extraordinary
event, an event that turned out to be very significant in the history of astrology: the
expedition, primarily martial but to some extent also cultural, of Alexander the Great into
Asia and particularly into Mesopotamia, the cradle of astrology. I should emphasize here
that Alexander, being the child of a priestess and the spiritual child of the philosopher
Aristotle, was not interested just in conquering nations but also in learning their culture.
In point of fact, his army comprised many Greek scientists (geographers, historians,
botanists, astronomers, philosophers etc.). His fervent wish was to explore, conquer and
then UNITE all the people, all the countries, all the known then world! Alexander was

intelligent enough to know that if he were to succeed in his cause he had to demonstrate
tolerance towards the religion and the culture of each country and allow the free flow of
ideas in his empire.
So, by the time Alexanders army entered victoriously into the city of Babylon, astrology
(in its non - horoscopic form) had reached full growth in Mesopotamia. The Greeks took
an immediate interest in astrology. They somehow became heirs of the vast astrological
notions accumulated throughout the centuries between the two great rivers. With their
philosophical and inventive minds they revised those notions, they applied mathematical
and geometrical principles to them and finally transformed the Mesopotamian astrology
into the horoscopic astrology we know today. And it all started with Alexander the Great!
Of course the promotion of astrology was not his main priority when he campaigned
against the Persians in the Middle East. However, as far as we know astrology was not
contrary to his beliefs.
Alexander was initiated in various mysteries so he probably had some knowledge of
astrology. And as he was mostly following the local traditions he must have had
astrologers in his court (the Persian kings before him habitually kept royal astrologers in
the palace). Actually, we have some very tangible testimonies on Alexanders belief in
astrology, coming out not just from one but from three different sources (Plutarch, Arrian
and Diodorus Siculus). Diodorus is the most descriptive of all:
When Alexander was about to enter Babylon, the so called Chaldeans came to meet
him. These Chaldeans gained much fame and glory through astrology, as they could
predict - by the means of their age long observation of the stars - the future events! And
the Chaldeans predicted the death of the king in Babylon2. Now, as all historians
account, Alexander took very seriously into consideration this prediction, as if he really
believed in astrology! Thus, I am fairly sure that he kept astrologers in his court,
astrologers which cast the chart of Alexander and consequently passed on his
planetary positions to other astrologers too. The astrological identity of this supreme
blonde conqueror that came from the west must have been a matter of prime interest
among the Babylonian - Persian astrologers of the time. However, to date no
Alexanders Perso- Babylonian chart has been found.
The fake Alexanders charts and the quest for his true birth date
Not having in our disposition a "first hand" chart of Alexander the Great we must
necessarily turn our attention to any available "second hand" ones. Two such alleged
Alexanders charts were published in the 17th century. The first one was cast in 1652 by
the Italian Andrea Argolo (the so-called "little Ptolemy"). On it we can read: "Genitura
Alexandri Magni, 12 Augusti 355 Anno Christum, 16:40 P.M.". From the very first
moment I laid my eyes on this chart I fervently sought to verify the planetary positions
displayed on it. As soon as I found the means to do so, I noticed that the planetary
positions in this chart are generally correct (there is only a deviation in the zodiac
positions of the Moon and Mercury). This however cannot be the genuine chart of
Alexander, because we are quite sure that he was born in 356 B.C.E. and not in 355
B.C.E..

THE ASTROLOGICAL CHART OF

ALEXANDER THE GREAT
(by Thomas Gazis)
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

What is it that makes Alexander the Great such a unique figure in world history?
Why out of so many legendary conquerors he apparently holds the most prestigious
place? The obvious answer would be: because he accomplished marvelous deeds,
such as no other human being has ever accomplished! At age 20 he became king of
Macedonia1. Under his command he led an army of 30.000 men to the ends of the
then known world, into exotic and dangerous lands conquering every single one of
them! Side by side with his soldiers, he fought more than one hundred battles
almost never losing one! He created an empire 40 times bigger than the one he
inherited - actually he formed the greatest empire ever formed by a single
individual! And finally he died at the zenith of his glory not having completed the
33rd year of his life.
But apart his marvelous deeds, there is something more to Alexander. Some very
unusual charisma seems to ever emanate out of this unique personality, a charisma
which we can still feel today, 2300 years after! Actually, there are so many heroic
and - at the same time - tragic archetypes enacted in Alexanders saga that we
tend to transform this man into a mythical figure, into a sort of Achilles! But while

Achilles is probably no more than a cartoon Alexander has been a real person, a
flesh and blood one like us! I think that Alexander has been somehow
transmuted in our collective unconscious into some kind of martyr, into a martyr of
the human race! He was young, handsome, strong, charismatic and audacious, but
still he was a mortal like us. Thus, he became a representative of our race who
surpassed the threshold of human dimensions and almost reached divine domains,
a man who dared to confront himself with the divine and perhaps for this reason
perished.
For all of us dealing with astrology it would be obvious to ask whether the
astrological chart of Alexander the Great has been preserved. Could there be, for
example, any archaeological finds in Macedonia, in the fatherland of Alexander the
Great, related to his horoscope? The fact is that neither in Macedonia (see note
1) nor in any other part of Greece have elements of that period (even remotely
alluding to astrology) ever been found. Personally, I have meticulously observed
hundreds and hundreds of ancient statues, urns, stelae, coins etc. - while in the
same time I have read or browsed the works of hundreds of classical philosophers,
dramatists, comedians etc. - and in none of them have I encountered astrological
symbols or even a single word explicitly related to astrology! I am convinced that
until the end of the fourth century B.C.E. astrology was not rife in Classical Greece
(although it was more so in Archaic Greece, as I have suggested in another article).
This astrology vacuum is rather inexplicable, because Greece lies rather close to
the Middle East and to Mesopotamia, to the cradle of western astrology that is!

However, all this changed by the end of the fourth century B.C.E. due to an
extraordinary event, an event that turned out to be very significant in the history
of astrology: the expedition, primarily martial but to some extent also cultural, of
Alexander the Great into Asia and particularly into Mesopotamia, the cradle of
astrology. I should emphasize here that Alexander, being the child of a priestess
and the spiritual child of the philosopher Aristotle, was not interested just in
conquering nations but also in learning their culture. In point of fact, his army
comprised many Greek scientists (geographers, historians, botanists, astronomers,
philosophers etc.). His fervent wish was to explore, conquer and then UNITE all the
people, all the countries, all the known then world! Alexander was intelligent
enough to know that if he were to succeed in his cause he had to demonstrate
tolerance towards the religion and the culture of each country and allow the free
flow of ideas in his empire.
So, by the time Alexanders army entered victoriously into the city of Babylon,
astrology (in its non - horoscopic form) had reached full growth in Mesopotamia.
The Greeks took an immediate interest in astrology. They somehow became heirs
of the vast astrological notions accumulated throughout the centuries between the

two great rivers. With their philosophical and inventive minds they revised those
notions, they applied mathematical and geometrical principles to them and finally
transformed the Mesopotamian astrology into the horoscopic astrology we know
today. And it all started with Alexander the Great! Of course the promotion of
astrology was not his main priority when he campaigned against the Persians in the
Middle East. However, as far as we know astrology was not contrary to his beliefs.
Alexander was initiated in various mysteries so he probably had some knowledge of
astrology. And as he was mostly following the local traditions he must have had
astrologers in his court (the Persian kings before him habitually kept royal
astrologers in the palace). Actually, we have some very tangible testimonies on
Alexanders belief in astrology, coming out not just from one but from three
different sources (Plutarch, Arrian and Diodorus Siculus). Diodorus is the most
descriptive of all:
When Alexander was about to enter Babylon, the so called Chaldeans came to
meet him. These Chaldeans gained much fame and glory through astrology, as they
could predict - by the means of their age long observation of the stars - the future
events! And the Chaldeans predicted the death of the king in Babylon (2). Now, as
all historians account, Alexander took very seriously into consideration this
prediction, as if he really believed in astrology! Thus, I am fairly sure that he kept
astrologers in his court, astrologers which cast the chart of Alexander and
consequently passed on his planetary positions to other astrologers too. The
astrological identity of this supreme blonde conqueror that came from the west
must have been a matter of prime interest among the Babylonian - Persian
astrologers of the time. However, to date no Alexanders Perso- Babylonian chart
has been found.

The fake Alexanders charts and the quest for his true birth date
Not having in our disposition a "first hand" chart of Alexander the Great we must
necessarily turn our attention to any available "second hand" ones. Two such
alleged Alexanders charts were published in the 17th century. The first one was
cast in 1652 by the Italian Andrea Argolo (the so-called "little Ptolemy"). On it we
can read: "Genitura Alexandri Magni, 12 Augusti 355 Anno Christum, 16:40 P.M.".
From the very first moment I laid my eyes on this chart I fervently sought to verify
the planetary positions displayed on it. As soon as I found the means to do so, I
noticed that the planetary positions in this chart are generally correct (there is
only a deviation in the zodiac positions of the Moon and Mercury). This however
cannot be the genuine chart of Alexander, because we are quite sure that he was
born in 356 B.C.E. and not in 355 B.C.E.

The second alleged Alexanders chart is a horoscope included in Gadbury's

"Collection of divers choice Nativities" published in 1662. On it we can read:
"Alexander Magnus, born 357 years ante Christu, July 1, 9h. 26 m. P.M.". I have
calculated the planetary positions for this date and concluded that, although the
positions are surprisingly accurate, this chart is a fake one too! Alexander
obviously was not born in 357 B.C.E. Given the fact that both these charts are fake
we still wonder how did the astrologers of the 17th century manage to calculate
with such a precision a nativity so remote in the past!

So, unfortunately, there are no historical finds or documents that could shed some
light on the astrological identity of Alexander the Great. Our last option then
would be to find out his date of birth and consequently cast his horoscope based
on it. Many ancient historians have written on Alexander but today we have in our
hands the works of five of them: those of Plutarch, Arrian, Diodorus Siculus,
Quintus Curtius and Justine, all posterior to Alexander. Among these five historians
only Plutarch mentions Alexander's date of birth. He says: "Alexander was born on
the sixth of the month which by the Athenians is called Hecatombaion and by the
Macedonians Loos " (3). This is our major historical reference on Alexander's date
of birth. However, this reference does not automatically solve our problem. First of
all, Plutarch lived three whole centuries after Alexander. How can we be sure that
he knew the true date of birth of Alexander? And then, even if we were sure of the
correctness of the date provided by Plutarch we would still have difficulties in
converting this Macedonian date (6 of Los of 356 B.C.E.) into the corresponding
date of our modern calendar! They were simply inserting - every now and then one or more extra months, in order to keep their calendar in pace with the
seasons. These rather arbitrary intercalary months constitute today one of our
major problems, when we try to convert an ancient date into a modern one. And
to make things even worse, every Greek city-state followed its own calendar,

which usually was not synchronized to the other city-states calendars. Maybe you
understand now why the date provided by Plutarch is not immediately providing us
a modern date.
To go back to our initial skepticism, how reliable such a date can be? Personally, I
believe it is the correct one. Plutarch, as one can deduce from his works, was a
very serious and cultivated historian. The dates provided by him are generally
accurate! Plutarch was a Greek, so he had an easy access to all "first hand"
writings preserved at his epoch of the historians and the officers of Alexander the
Great. He precisely quotes, for example, dates and events from the very royal
annals of Alexander, meaning that his sources indeed were first hand! Not to
mention the wondrous libraries - like the Alexandrian one - he had in his
disposition; In addition, we have another ancient source that somehow confirms
the date provided by Plutarch. It comes from the roman writer Claudius Aelianus
(Aelian) who lived between the 2nd and the 3rd century C.E. Aelian writes in his
"Varia Historia": "...The sixth of the month Thargelion is considered a very lucky
date for the Greeks... on that date they won many battles... Alexander the
Macedonian, the son of Philip was born on that day too" (4). Actually, Aelian does
not specify whether the expression on the sixth day implies the 6th of the month
Thargelion or generally the 6th day of some - not mentioned here - month. I think
he means the latter because we are fairly sure that Alexander was not born in the
month Thargelion. Aelian lived after Plutarch but apparently he did not copy him in such a case he would also have written that Alexander was born on the sixth of
Hecatombaion. So, we have two ancient historians emphasizing the 6th of a
certain month as the birthday of Alexander (and this month could be no other than
Hekatomabaion - corresponding to the Macedonian month Los).
Still we have to ask ourselves another question: was the date of birth an important
date to ancient Greeks? Did the Greeks party on their birthday? To answer, it
would suffice to quote a line from the philosophers Epicurus will (Epicurus was
contemporary to Alexander): and I leave you the indispensable money so that
you can celebrate each year my birthday, on the ninth of the month
Gamelion (5). Many other sources confirm that the ancient Greeks were
celebrating their birthday just as we do today! This corroborates my hypothesis
that the general public knew Alexanders birthday, let alone the royal historians
who wrote his memoirs. For all these reasons I consider the date provided by
Plutarch as a reliable one!
Plutarch does something more than simply mentioning the (Macedonian coined)
birthday of Alexander. He additionally informs us that Alexander was born in a
Macedonian month (Los) that corresponds to the Attic (Athenian) month of
Hecatombaion. This is an important piece of information because - as we have a
relatively extensive bibliography on the Attic calendar - we know that
Hecatombaion corresponds roughly to the annual mid July - mid August period. We
say roughly because - due to the aforementioned intercalary month additions the Macedonian month of Loos could slip so much as to correspond to our month
of October! On the other hand, we are fairly sure that Los could not correspond
to a month prior to our July (the Macedonian calendar was soli-lunar, thus short
in respect to ours, so we have to add a certain amount of days in order to equate a
Macedonian date into a contemporaneous one. Taking in consideration all these

facts, we determine a relatively narrow time span for Alexanders birthday. He

should have been born between July and October of 356 B.C.E. His Sun should be
then in one of the following zodiacal signs: Cancer, Leo, Libra or Scorpio!
The next step is to confirm this time-span and hopefully shorten it. The historian
Arrian will help us in this direction. Quoting Aristobulus, one of Alexander's officers
and historians, Arrian says that Alexander lived 32 years and 8 months - and these 8
months completed (6). The fact is that we know with sufficient precision
Alexander's date of death (which has been preserved apart from the Greek royal
annals in various Babylonian, Egyptian etc. documents). According to Plutarch
Alexander died on the last day of the Macedonian month Daisios, in 323
B.C.E. (7)Most modern chronologists and historians (8) suggest that the date of
Alexander's death should correspond either to the 10th or the 13th of June. So if
by that day of 323 B.C.E. Alexander had lived 32 years and 8 months completed
then he should have been born sometime between the 7th of September and the
9th of October 356 B.C.E., in a period that absolutely fits the time span we
predetermined.

Additionally, there is another historical citation that equates the Macedonian

month of Loos to our September / October annual period. It comes from the orator
Demosthenes. In one of his books called "On the Crown" he quotes a letter written
in 339 B.C.E. by the Macedonian King Philip to the Peloponnesians. In this letter,
King Philip is asking the Peloponnesian delegates to meet him sometime "in the
month of Los, which the Athenians call Boedromion and the Corinthians
Panemos" (9). Since Boedromion was the 3rd month of the Athenian calendar (that
usually begun at summer solstice), this month would roughly correspond to our
September / October annual period. We are given two precious clues here: 1) that
the Macedonian month Los did not always correspond to the Athenian month of
Hecatombaion. 2) That the aforementioned calendar equation is opening us a
wormhole to the past, as it suddenly brings us so close to Alexanders birth date!
The year 339 B.C.E. is just 17 years away from Alexanders birth date! And since
the Macedonian months were usually slipping ahead - in respect to our modern
calendar, as the years were passing - it would be obvious to think that Alexander
was most probably born in a period prior to the September / October one! But not
too far away though, because in just 17 years not too many missing days would
have been accumulated so as to transfer Alexanders birth date i.e. in July, let
alone in June! So, this evidence contradicts the widespread scenario of Alexander
being born in July and consequently him being a Cancer. Nor do the Virgo and Libra

scenarios look more plausible to me! In fact, three other evidences coming from
Plutarch, Diodorus Siculus and from an early byzantine chronicle suggest a late
summer birth!
Plutarch states that Philip, Alexander's father, received simultaneously - while
conducting a military campaign in northern Greece - three pleasant news items: 1)
that one of his generals won a victory, 2) that one of his horses won a race in the
Olympic Games, and 3) that Alexander was born (10). We know that the Olympic
Games were taking place in the second half of summer, most probably in August.
Some eminent scholars like the British historian George Thomson get more
specific, suggesting that the Olympic games were taking place either in August - on
the 9th or on the 22nd of the month - or in September - on the 6th of the month,
depending on the year (11). Now, it would normally take a few days for a
messenger to bring to Philip - either by ship or by horse - the news of his horse's
win. But the news of his horse's win and Alexander's birth reached Philip
simultaneously, so Alexander could not have been born in late September, let alone
in October!

The late summer birth scenario gains momentum

The second evidence comes from the fact that Alexander became king directly
after his fathers assassination, when according to Plutarch he had just completed
his twentieth year of life (12). Philip was assassinated during a ceremony in an
open theater, in early morning. Diodorus Siculus describes the relevant scene (13).
From his description, one can understand that the day of Philip's assassination was
a rather hot one. It could be a day in late summer or at most in early September.
Remember we are in northern Greece, in a city that lies almost at the latitude of
New York City. The mornings of late September and October are getting chilly
there and are not ideal for a ceremony in an open theater. So, Philip might have
been assassinated in late August or in early September. Immediately after, the
Macedonian people and the army proclaimed Alexander their new king. According
to prominent German chronologist Julius Beloch, Alexander was proclaimed king in
September 336 BCE (14). So, if he had already completed his twentieth year (as
Plutarch states), then he should have been born either in the first days of
September or (most probably) in August.
Finally, an important piece of evidence has been preserved in an early Byzantine
chronicle known as the Chronicon Paschale. As this chronicle testifies, the
Macedonian calendar was still in use in the 4th century C.E. in Constantinople! In
fact, in one of its pages we read: and in the same year (367 C.E.) Gratianus
Augustus was proclaimed emperor in France, in the month of Loos, nine days
before the Calends of September (15)! But as the Roman Calends correspond to
the first day of the month, the Calends of September correspond to the 1st of
September. If we now subtract nine days out of this date we come to the 23rd of
August (give 2 - 3 days maximum to convert this date to a contemporaneous one,
as the Roman calendar was not that much out of phase back then). So, the
Paschale chronicle turns to be very valuable because it is the first official source
we ever encountered that equates the Macedonian month of Los to our modern

month of August!
Taking in consideration all the aforementioned evidence and methodically
synthesizing it, we would say that the second half of August is the period that
better corresponds to the prerequisites we have set forth. This period lies in the
middle between the two extreme cases of an Alexanders birth in July (as some
historians and astrologers claim) or in September/October (as i.e. Philips letter
suggests). To turn back to Aristobulus, I think that he was misled by the
Macedonian calendar, which was full of adjustments (both Philip and Alexander i.e.
were changing at will the Macedonian calendar in order to fit their often whimscal
plans (16) and of intercalary months, and thus omitted a month in stating
Alexander's span of life. Instead of saying that by his death date his age was 32
years and 8 months completed he should have said 32 years and 9 months
completed (meaning that Alexanders death came when he was in the tenth month
after his 32nd birthday).
Another fact that could prove valuable to us is that the calendar of the ancient
Macedonians was a soli-lunar one. Each of their months was usually regulated
according to the Moon's phases, thus the first date of every month should ideally
coincide with the New Moon or at least with the first appearance of a crescent
Moon in the sky. They always kept this in mind, particularly when they were
adjusting their calendar (to which they were so fond that they maintained it even
after the Romans imposed them the Julian calendar!) The New Moon of August 356
B.C.E. fell on the 13th. So, under ideal conditions, the 6th of the Macedonian
month Los of 356 BC should correspond to the 18th of August of that year (6 days
ahead of the 13th of August, the first one being the 13th). On the 18th of August
356 BCE (17) the Sun was in Leo and the Moon was transiting through Libra and
Scorpio (18)! No doubt here about the Leo Sun! If one meticulously studies
Alexanders biography he will realize that this extraordinary man exhibited every
single trait of this regal, dominating, heroic sign! He even maintained caged lions
in his palace, evidence that might seem slim to some but many times the details
say much about a man (the Virgo Roman emperor Honorius kept in his palace pet
poultry, instead)!
We drifted in the endless corridors of time and by carefully following the signs the
various sources were providing us we came close to our destination. We stand in
the right corridor now, but we dont know which one out of the several doors
around us - we should open! The year is right (356 B.C.E.), the season is right (late
summer, as the evidence suggests) and the month seems to be right (August)! But
which date of August is the right one? Is it the 18th of August? It would be, under
ideal conditions. But these conditions rarely occurred in the soli-lunar Macedonian
calendar! One major clue is that this calendar was mostly short in respect to
our modern one. So, most probably, we have to add a certain number of days - to
the given date 18th of August - in order to get the right Alexanders birth date.
How many days, then? More or less 11 days, under ideal conditions. But as we
explained, these ideal periods were the exception to the rule. So, we might be
here just a step away from our destination but without further historical or
calendric evidence in our disposition we actually stand on a dead end! And the only
alternative we are left with is to apply some kind of extrapolation.

If we persist on the fact that Alexander should be a Leo and not a Virgo, then we
are restraining our time span into a frame of just eleven days - from 18 to 28
August 356 B.C.E. - when the Sun was in Leo! But then, his Moon should be in one
of the following five signs: Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius.
Things got a lot simpler now! If we pick up the right Moon then we will indirectly
determine Alexanders most probable birth date!
I personally think that we have an easy pick here. Having thoroughly studied
Alexanders life, knowing his character, I opted right away for the Sagittarius
Moon! Such a Moon is in perfect accordance to Alexanders exuberant and over optimistic soul, to his fervid wish to go beyond the horizons, to step onto new
continents, to seek the very ends of the world! It also says much about Alexander
being spiritually raised by a philosopher like Aristotle! It explains his profound
interest in literature (unusual for a military man), his unshaken belief in God, his
mother Olympias that was a priestess and his three wives that were all foreigners.
It even explains his legendary affection to his horse, Bucefalo! Of course, I know
that strong Jupiterian - or Ninth House - emphasis might produce similar effects!
But just to a lesser extent! Only the pure, archetypal energy of a Moon in the sign
of Sagittarius would produce a restless soul like Alexanders! And if we assume that
his Moon is in the sign of Sagittarius then we can very tightly determine his date of
birth!
In August 356 B.C.E. the Moon was transiting in the sign of Sagittarius during the
following time frame: between the 19:24 hours of the 21st and the 6:31 hours of
the 24th day of the month! (19) So, theoretically Alexander should have been born
sometime then. Still, a new burning question arises: when exactly? Its not easy to
say, as we are here in a totally uncharted territory without any kind of landmarks
in our disposition. By necessity, another enlightening lead will stem again out of
Alexanders character. He possessed an unusually explosive character! His
outbursts were proverbial (in one of them he even speared to death his close
friend Cletus). But such violent outbursts do not exactly suit a classy Leo having his
Moon in the civilized, benevolent sign of Sagittarius. And since the Moon
astrologically represents the human soul, there should be some explosive planetary
configuration related to his Moon! Actually, there might be one! On the 24th of
August 356 B.C.E. the Moon - in the last degrees of Sagittarius - on the one hand
forms a square aspect to natal Jupiter and on the other approaches the already
highly charged axis of the Mars - Uranus opposition, thus forming an unusually
explosive T-Square configuration! Normally, such an electrified Moon would
produce in man very particularly violent reactions, especially when women figures
are involved, trying i.e. to restrain him (and definitely Olympias - his manipulative
mother - was top of the list here. Alexander loved her all right but often had a hell

of a row with - thus he deliberately kept her away). To conclude, neither on the
21st, nor on the 22nd or the 23rd of August 356 B.C.E. some other meaningful lunar
configuration is formed!
The Moon in Sagittarius represents very well the exuberant soul of Alexander the
Great, his intercontinental expeditions, his interest in literature, his profound
belief in God, his mother Olympias that was a priestess and his three wives that
were all foreigners. Back then, the Moon was in Sagittarius from 20:00 of the 21st
of August till 07:00 of the 24th of August. I have opted for the 24th of August
because only then the Moon, though remaining in Sagittarius, approached the axis
of the Mars-Uranus opposition, a highly explosive axis that may have much to do
with Alexander's explosive nature.
But if his date of birth is the 24th of August and his Moon is in Sagittarius then we
have indirectly established a time span for his birth time, as well: he should have
been born between 00:00 and 07:00 hours. In reality we have no direct testimony
on Alexander's time of birth. Pseudo - Kallisthenes who wrote a somewhat romantic
biography of Alexander in the 3rd century AD claims that he was born at sunrise
and that he died at sunset. A Byzantine astrologer (George Kamateros) claims that
Leo was the Ascendant in Alexanders horoscope. Actually, a Leo Ascendant would
fit him much more than a Gemini or a Cancer one. In addition, we would prefer his
Sun to be close to his Ascendant, in his First House, and this could happen only if
he was born around 05:00 - 05:30 A.M. (19). In such a case he would have the Sun,
Mercury, Venus and Neptune placed in his First House (a quite rare delineation that
could explain the extraordinary charisma of this young man, the magnetism that
he was radiating around him and that made his soldiers follow him to the ends of
the then known world as if they were being hypnotized). His natal Saturn in Taurus
would be in his Tenth House, close to his MC, while the ruler of his Tenth House
would be in his First House. These planetary positions fully agree both with the
fact that at very young age Alexander accepted responsibility and with the fact of
his enormous and everlasting fame.

Alexander's the Great plausible horoscope

We finally arrived at our destination! By meticulously studying evidence upon
evidence, by inductively including and excluding possibilities we determined a
date that seems to be the most plausible Alexanders the Great birth date: the
24th of August 356 B.C.E.17 The Sun was then in Leo, in conjunction to Mercury.
The Moon was in the last degrees of Sagittarius. Mercury and Venus (in Virgo) were
forming a conjunction and were supported by a Mars Sextile and a Uranus Trine.
Mars was in Cancer, in square to Jupiter in Libra and in a tight opposition to both

Uranus in Capricorn and to the Moon in Sagittarius (as we have already seen)!
Saturn was in Taurus in square to his Sun (the difficult relation he had with his
father?).

Rectifying the chart

This hypothetical chart of Alexander the Great corresponds satisfactorily - as we
will see - to the known traits of his character. His First House emphasis, for
example, depicts very well his impulsiveness, his bellicose spirit and his wish to be
the first of the first in every situation. Then, his Venus in Virgo responds well to his
legendary sobriety in matters regarding food and sensual pleasures. But the final
test would consist in verifying this chart by applying critical Transits and Secondary
Progressions to it, for the major events in Alexander's life.
Let's start with a particularly significant event: his death. The most plausible date
of his death is the 11th of June 323 B.C.E. (some scholars opt for the 10th). The
planetary Transits for this date are highly significant: transiting Pluto and Uranus which are partile conjunct at 21 degrees of Taurus - form a square aspect to
Alexander's hypothetical natal Sun, at 25 degrees of Leo! Transiting Neptune at 28
degrees of Scorpio also forms a square aspect to his natal Sun (an aspect that
becomes even more significant if we consider Neptune as the ruler of the
Alexander's Eighth house).

Transiting Saturn at 29 degrees of Gemini forms a partile opposition to his natal

Moon, a conjunction to his natal Mars and a square to his natal Jupiter. Transiting
Jupiter at 150 of Cancer forms a square aspect to his natal Pluto. Transiting Mars in
his natal First House forms a conjunction to his Venus (the ruler of his natal Tenth
House) and to his Neptune. Transiting Venus forms a square aspect to his Nodal
Axis. Transiting Mercury forms a conjunction to his Mars and a partile opposition to
his Uranus. Transiting Sun - at 16 degrees of Gemini on that fatal day - squares
Alexander's natal Neptune (just one among many aspects that allude to a probable
poisoning). Finally, the transiting Moon is forming a square aspect to his natal Pluto
(while it is about to get in his Twelfth House. The response of this chart to the
Transits set for the date of Alexanders death is very impressive!
But equally significant are the Progressions set for that same date: his progressed
Moon is forming an opposition to his natal Neptune (ruler of his Eighth House. Plus,
his Progressed Moon would be just entering then in his 8th natal House, if

Alexander were born a little earlier). His progressed Sun forms a square aspect to
his natal Moon (ruler of his Twelfth House). His progressed Mercury and Venus form
an opposition to his natal Pluto and finally his progressed Mars forms a square to
his natal Pluto!
Another important event that we should test here is the assassination of
Alexander's father, Philip, towards the beginning of September 336 B.C.E.

Uranus was then transiting in the Alexander's natal Eighth House, forming a perfect
square to his natal Moon (a sudden and rather odd death that was to change his
family status?). His natal Mars was conjoined by transiting Jupiter and opposed by
transiting Saturn. This bipolar influence of Jupiter and Saturn on his natal Mars
indicates both the responsibilities that suddenly fell on Alexanders shoulders right
after his fathers death and his burning desire to become a leader, to take
initiatives, to act.
A similar bipolar configuration results from the Progressions set for this event:
Alexanders progressed Sun conjuncts his natal Neptune (ruler of his natal Eighth
House). And then, his progressed Moon partile conjuncts his natal Jupiter! This
aspect literally takes us out of surprise! How comes such a joyful configuration
occurs in such an ominous day? We could never understand it unless we first
thoroughly study the life of Alexander. He had a terrible relation to his allegedly
tyrannical and drunkard father! He was not even considering Philip to be his father
(his mother had confessed him that he was not)! In addition, Philip had in those
days just married another (very young) woman, whose offspring would someday
claim the Macedonian throne, at Alexanders expense! All these facts had utterly
embittered Alexander and his mother Olympias. No wonder, then, that they - in a
certain sense - rejoiced and felt free when Philip was assassinated! Let alone that
Alexander was proclaimed on that day the new king of Macedonia! Of course it is
not a good thing to rejoice on your fathers (or husbands) death, but it is human
and it happens sometimes (probably more often than we think)! And in the end,
this is the magic of astrology! It enables us to get into the private lives, into the
souls of people that actually perished so many centuries ago!
To test another event now, lets try a famous Alexanders illness. In the middle of
his campaign to Persia, on a hot summer day of 333 B.C.E. (probably mid August)
Alexander took a refreshing bath in the frozen waters of the river Kydnos (in
contemporary Turkey). Immediately afterwards he felt sickly and stayed in bed for
several days. Transiting Saturn (in his Sixth House) was then forming an opposition
to his natal Sun, while transiting Sun and Mars were in his natal Twelfth House.

By the beginning of 325 B.C.E. Alexander had reached the most remote part of his
expedition (India), but he wanted to go even further (transiting Jupiter was in his
natal Ninth House). His soldiers refused to follow him. In January of that year during a bloody battle against the people of Malion (or Mallon, a region
corresponding probably to modern day Massaga, in northern-east Pakistan) Alexander behaved very imprudently and was seriously wounded in his chest by an
arrow. He barely escaped death and remained on a stretcher for several weeks.

Transiting Neptune (ruler of his Eighth House) was then at 25 degrees of Scorpio,
forming a perfect square to his natal Sun while transiting Saturn at 23 degrees of
Taurus was also forming a square to his natal Sun (and a conjunction to his natal
position)! Transiting Pluto stands on his Midheaven (a rumor that Alexander died
had spread among his soldiers on this particular period). His progressed Moon and
Venus are in his Sixth House. Additionally, Mars was transiting his natal Twelfth
House and most likely the Sun was in his Sixth House!
As the last event to rectify here we shall take the legendary collective marriages
celebrated at Susa (Shush) in Persia between (approx.) ten thousand Greek soldiers
and that many Asian women (Alexander himself got married on that occasion, for
the third time)! These marriages were actually an Alexander's idea and took place
around the first days of April 324 B.C.E.

By applying Secondary Progressions we see that the Alexanders progressed Moon

(forming an opposition to his Sun) has just entered his Seventh House! According to
Dane Rudhyar, a major consciousness shift occurs in the individual when his
progressed Luminaries (Sun Moon) cross the border of the personal versus the
collective semi-cycle of the horoscope (in an horoscope, the cusp of the Seventh
House marks the area where the semi-cycle of subjective consciousness ends and

simultaneously the area where the semi-cycle of collective consciousness starts)!

How effectively this progressed Moon depicts Alexander's inner state of mind back
then. From his strongly individualistic previous consciousness he was just passing
then into a brand new collective consciousness and this interior metamorphosis of
his was externally manifested both by his own marriage and by the unusual
collective marriages he then celebrated at Susa.
Among his Transits, we should note Mercury in his Seventh House and Venus in his
Eighth House, in opposition to his natal Neptune. Additionally, transiting Jupiter
and Saturn - in conjunction between them - form a square aspect to his natal
Venus. This last aspect might also be considered as producing a major shift in
Alexander's way of seeing his relation to the others. Finally, transiting Uranus ruler
of his natal Seventh House conjuncts his MC! This particular astrological
configuration depicts remarkably well those unusual collective marriages of
convenience, as they were. It was upon the descendants of these 10.000 Greek Asian couples that Alexander was planning to structure the future shape of his
empire, an empire that he dreamt of as global, homogeneous, prosperous and
everlasting!

NOTES
1. We have to clarify something here: A recently founded (former Yugoslavian)
state has been self - baptized Macedonia. This (Slavonic-Bulgarian speaking) state
has nothing to do with ancient Macedonia, a geographical area in northern Greece
inhabited by the Macedonians, a people whose culture and language was (and still
is) Greek.
2. Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library, book XVII, 112.1
3. Plutarch : Alexander, III-5.
4. Claudius Aelianus : Varia Historia,B,25,28-34.
5. Epicurus, The Will, 18
6. Arrian : History of Alexander, VII-28.
7. Plutarch: Alexander, LXXV, 6
8. Beloch, Samuel, Hamilton etc.
9. Demosthenes: De Corona,157.
10. Plutarch: Alexander, III-8.
11. George Thomson Ancient Greek Society ,V,5.
12. Plutarch : Alexander, XI-1.
13. Diodorus Siculus, XVI, 92-2.
14.Julius Beloch, Griechische Geschichte, III,2, 59-60.
15. Apostolos Karpozilos Byzantinoi Istorikoi kai Chronografoi, (Kanaki), A,
p.525 .
16. Philip and Alexander arbitrary added days in the Macedonian calendar so that it
would fit their plans, their soothsayers predictions etc.
17. All mentioned dates are Old Style.
18. All astronomical and astrological calculations effectuated by the Solar Fire

Deluxe program.
19. Hours are in E.E.T.